


Gifts From the Fade

by ThroughtheMirrorDarkly



Series: Marked and Branded [9]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Alternate History, Codex Entries (Dragon Age), Gen, My Cannon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-23 21:52:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14942016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThroughtheMirrorDarkly/pseuds/ThroughtheMirrorDarkly
Summary: Summary: Tales from the Fade that Ashlinn found during her journey there.This is written in Codex style, like out of the game. I really liked the idea of expanding on Thedas, and creating unique Codex entries that would tie with the game, or give the readers a peek into the Thedas that I am weaving. :D





	1. Chapter 1

Gems of the Fade 

by ThroughtheMirrorDarkly

* * *

CODEX ENTRY ONE 

“A Dead Man’s Tale”

_I, Valerius apprentice of Severus Moerae, have fallen short of glory. It was not my knowledge to take yet I greedily drank from the forbidden well, and in doing so my arrogance has undone me. The secrets as old as time consume my every last thought as surely as they will claim my life. I pen them down, to pull them out of my skull in an attempt to tell stories that have been locked away for centuries, if only to spare myself a moment of agony where they do not fester inside my mind. My time is fleeting, I have taken too much and soon all knowledge I possess will be lost to the Void. I learned the truth of the of my Gods, and my faith has been shaken for the story we know is not half of the truth, and the truth could crumble our society if it is known._

_In the days of old before Arathlan and the gleaming cities, a time where the elvhen were just fledglings birth anew from the womb of magic itself, spirits given flesh and form, the world did not look to a Maker or pantheon for guidance. Instead, they worshipped the great winged beasts of the sky that held untold knowledge and power and had lived since the beginning of time itself. High Dragons in physical form, they were spirits of the lands and sky, the forest and storms, and they were revered as much as they were feared. Though they were bestial in appearance, only a fool would have mistaken them for ignorant animals. They were clever and cunning and the world quaked in their shadows. These were the Forgotten Ones when they ruled the world, but what Maker could have made them? Could the same Maker who bid his wife, Andraste, to lead an army all the way into the heart of Tevinter be the same one created such creatures? I know not that answer, only that there is more to this world that extends even beyond the wealth of knowledge that I have absorbed._

_The Forgotten Ones, first approached the elvhen, with promises of teaching them magic and secrets. Some elvhen were swayed, the temptation of knowledge too much to resist. The same trap in which I, myself, have fallen into. The Forgotten Ones demanded a hefty price, a sea of blood spilt in their name, so they may harvest the magic that ran through the elvhen veins in an attempt to increase the power of their own. Yet one elvhen maiden, fair and beautiful as the sun, saw through the Forgotten Ones trickery, and approached them with machinations of her own._

_She knew that if the Forgotten Ones were not driven away from her people, then they would bring them nothing, but ruin. And so she played the abase suppliant, pretending to bend knee only to trick the Forgotten Ones into a binding oath with her honeyed words, trapping them into divulging a secret they had not intended to bear, and turned their own power against them. The Forgotten Ones fled, forced to leave the elvhen people be, but their hearts grew black and bitter. The darkness festered as the elvhen flourished, and great cities were erected across the world that is now Thedas. The Forgotten Ones stricken from memory, only remembered as dark, fiendish gods, and so that it what they became._

_Plot after plot was unhatched by the Forgotten Ones to tear the elvhen ones down, to take back the power and fate to guide the path of the world. Instead, each trial the greatest of the elvhen overcame, the more they were heralded as gods themselves. So in their desperation, the Forgotten Ones gave their lifeblood to the humans, mere barbarians as we were, teaching the secret of knowledge and magic that had been unknown to them. But the human were young, foolish, much like the quick children that the elvhen accused them of being. The new found knowledge was not enough to sate their thirst, and a fiendish ambition was born inside their hearts, a reflection of their gods own dark desires. They sought to enslave their gods, and learn black secrets that they refused to teach them for fear of having them once again turned against them. Their caution was their undoing, for the humans were more guile than the Forgotten Ones knew, and went to another god, one made of shadows and secrets, who allowed them to learn enough to bind the Forgotten Ones into a deep eternal slumber beneath the earth._

_The stories portray Fen’Harel as the mad god that did away with all others, but it was the human followers that put the Forgotten Ones in their deep, dark cages. But as all things this came with a price, with the Forgotten Ones gone all knowledge they had granted the humans was taken, too. The magic that spun upon their fingertips like wildfire now dimmed into a dull flickering spark, and so the human delved deep into the world, digging and searching for their gods, but would never find them. Great titans protected the depths below, and allowed no trespassers to survive._

_The Forgotten Ones were lost to time, until the Tevinter Imperium was built upon the bones of the elvhen empire, and magic once again grew bright amongst the humans. Then those mages heard the whispers, the faint calls from their dreams, and became the Forgotten Ones became the deities that Ancient Tevinter raised high. Bidding the old mages of Tevinter to worship them, to heed them, and to help them reclaim the world to respect their sovereignty alone. The tale of the Black City came next, centuries afterwards, but as I have said what is known amongst common men is not half the tale. If I had the time…but I do not think that I have much longer…my hand is unsteady, and my vision grows black…_

_Dirath’ma._

— _Letter written by Valerius Alcaster, Apprentice of Severus Moerae_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two 

“The Sack of Cousland Castle”

_“I feel asleep uneasily that night with Fergus now gone, and all these fears well up inside of me. Everyone believes that the darkspawn threat is minor, and that this isn’t a true Blight, but something inside of my soul is disquiet about this whole afraid. It feels like a shadow has fallen over Castle Cousland. I paced the floor of the room, occasionally looking over at my little boy—my little Oren. He was the most precious thing in my world. I would die to protect him from all the troubles that come to our door, and to keep him innocent for as long as possible.”_

—Orianna Cousland 

* * *

_Something is not right about this. I stated as much to the Captain, and was told not to question what was going on. This isn’t right. I refuse to be a part of this. I turn my back on him, and I didn’t even make it a step further when I heard the sound of cold steel being pulled from a sheath. Panic and fearful, I rushed the door, but it was too late. Stupid fool, why did I turn my back?_

—Marcus, a Howe Soldier 

* * *

_I’m just a servant. Surely, they’ll leave me be! Maker, Creators, whoever will listen, please let them leave me be! No! No! Don’t touch me! Anything but that! I won’t let that happen to me. I grab the soldier’s dagger from his waist and bury it through my own heart._

—an elven servant 

* * *

_I awoke early as I always did to make start the morning meal, and ensure that it would be done when the lord and lady were ready to breakfast. It was quiet in the halls, almost too quiet, but I suppose I had gotten used to milady’s useless mongrel always whining after me to give him scraps. I swear that blasted beast is more like those frilly little mutts from Orlais than a Ferelden mabari with the way it likes to be pampered. I got to work and decided to make the little lady’s favorite, sweet rolls. Though she isn’t a little lady any more, what with her watching and ruling over the castle while her father and brother are off to battle. Made me feel all the older to see a young woman where a half grown kid once stood, but she still is as cheeky and mischievous as ever. By the Maker, she made me grey before my time. As I was opening the sack of floor, the kitchen door burst open and armored men charge inside. Arl Howe’s men, I’d never mistaken sigil they wore. Before I could even shout or demand what they thought they were doing, one of them charged me. The blade shined in the firelight and struck me down._

—Nan, The Cook and Former Nanny to Ashlinn Cousland 

* * *

_To think that it has come to this…_

_Betrayal by a friend…my grandchild and his mother slain…my children scattered to the winds, and with danger that will follow them at every corner. My wife standing over me, with an arrow drawn to spare us as many precious moments as she can, but we both know that this is the end for us, and that all we have is the hope that our children will live on in face of this adversity. Growing cold in the pool of my own blood, I was helpless when Howe entered the room and my poor Eleanor…my poor sweet Eleanor…_

_Maker do not allow Howe to get away with this._

_Please let my children stop this madness._

—Bryce Cousland, Teryn of Highever 

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> How Thedas came to be is still mystery, one that BioWare constantly seems to tease us with giving us little hints of knowledge from the Forgotten Ones to the Elvhen Gods to the Maker. Each of these “Gods(s)” have evidence to support them each in their own ways, and also at times, possible seem connected. I have mapped how the Maker, the Avvar Gods, the Elvhen Gods, and Forgotten Ones all fit together in my cannon, so you’ll get little pieces throughout the stories, and this eventually will affect the main plot. I really wanted to give you the mythology that is kind of cannon for my story, that helps fit all these gods into existence without having to disprove one for the other. It also helps tie the story together. You can read it as someone who has drank from a Well, much like Mythal’s, but was too weak to handle the knowledge they gained, and was consumed by it.  
> Also remember memories of the Fade are subjected. Even if Valerius drunk knowledge from the well, he is getting one side of the truth from second hand knowledge and memories. There are three sides to the truth. Your truth, my truth, and the reality of the truth.  
> I am open to suggestion for this. While I have ideas of my own, I would like to hear what you all would like to know about this Thedas—sorry no spoilers for the main story lol. Like do you want to read something through the eyes of a quanari? A memory of a dragon slayer? Or make up a character, give me a scenario and I’ll come up with a Codex entry based on it. Just keep in mind that these do have to fit in the “Marked and Branded” Universe so I can’t write anything that would destroy the cannon I have set up. lol Just let me know in the comments below. And I’ll only take two suggestions per chapter, so first come is first served. :D


End file.
